https://www.wtoc.com/2020/03/21/mark-byi...niversity/

Mark Byington leaving Georgia Southern to be next head coach at James Madison University
Georgia Southern University men’s basketball head coach Mark Byington is leaving the program. Southern announced in a press release that he had resigned.



By WTOC Staff | March 20, 2020 at 8:08 PM EDT - Updated March 20 at 10:27 PM
STATESBORO, Ga. (WTOC) - Georgia Southern University men’s basketball head coach Mark Byington is leaving the program. Southern announced in a press release that he had resigned.

“We want to thank Mark for his seven years of service to Georgia Southern and certainly wish him the best of luck in the future, said Incoming Georgia Southern Director of Athletics, Jared Benko. “We fully expect to have a very deep and qualified candidate pool as we move forward. In terms of what attributes we’re looking for in our next head coach, we want someone with integrity, first and foremost. They must also be adept at player development, have a history of strong academics and NCAA compliance and also be the right fit for the Georgia Southern culture. Furthermore, this coach must also be able to put together a strong coaching staff and be a strong recruiter. We will be focusing on these primary traits when selecting our next coach. This job is a premier position not only in the Sun Belt, but nationwide, and we are confident that we will find a great basketball coach for Georgia Southern University.”

A national search will begin immediately for the Eagles next head coach. Andrew Wilson, who is currently the associate head coach for the Eagles, will serve as the interim head coach effective immediately.

Byington will be the next head at James Madison University in Virginia. JMU made the announcement on Friday.

He spent seven years at the helm of the Georgia Southern men's basketball program, where he led the Eagles to a 131-97 record. He was also the first GS coach to win 20 or more games in three consecutive seasons - his final three in Statesboro - in more than 30 years.

"I am extremely excited to be the next basketball coach at James Madison University," Byington said in a statement. "I want to thank President Alger, Charlie King and Jeff Bourne for trusting me to lead an exciting time for James Madison basketball. I feel it's one of the best jobs in the Mid-Atlantic and I'm looking forward to winning immediately."

Byington is a Virginia native.

Solid hire by JMU. The CAA looks to have gotten better this offseason.

(03-20-2020 09:56 PM)Gary Miller Wrote:  Solid hire by JMU. The CAA looks to have gotten better this offseason.

Majority of JMU fans on their board are unhappy or unimpressed. To the surprise of no one.

He's going to do a good job there. Better than Matt Brady, for sure.

(03-20-2020 10:00 PM)Seahawk Nation 08 Wrote:  

(03-20-2020 09:56 PM)Gary Miller Wrote:  Solid hire by JMU. The CAA looks to have gotten better this offseason.

Majority of JMU fans on their board are unhappy or unimpressed. To the surprise of no one.

He's going to do a good job there. Better than Matt Brady, for sure.

All I can say is looking at him, I feel really old.

Damn. He's going to be rich. $500k+, right?

(03-20-2020 11:16 PM)82hawk Wrote:  Damn. He's going to be rich. $500k+, right?

They're saying more like 450k on their board.

(03-20-2020 11:51 PM)Seahawk Nation 08 Wrote:  

(03-20-2020 11:16 PM)82hawk Wrote:  Damn. He's going to be rich. $500k+, right?

They're saying more like 450k on their board.

If that's his base and the rest of this contract looks like Siddle, JMU got played.

Good for him and they can afford it.

Congrats Mark. I hope you win every game while there, except the ones against UNCW!

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(03-21-2020 01:12 AM)82hawk Wrote:  

(03-20-2020 11:51 PM)Seahawk Nation 08 Wrote:  

(03-20-2020 11:16 PM)82hawk Wrote:  Damn. He's going to be rich. $500k+, right?

They're saying more like 450k on their board.

If that's his base and the rest of this contract looks like Siddle, JMU got played.

Looks like it’s $375k base + $75k supplemental.

https://twitter.com/Shane_DNRSports/stat...4298079232

Mark landing a 6-year contract is a pleasant surprise. Gives him quite a lot of job security. I see no reason why he’d fail, but it’s good to know he’ll be there a while barring a promotion to a better job elsewhere.

It almost feels wrong that he’s at JMU and not here. I do like Siddle though.

I so hope he hires Rob Burke

(03-21-2020 12:30 PM)billthebighawksfan Wrote:  It almost feels wrong that he’s at JMU and not here. I do like Siddle though.

It may be best to not hire someone so close to the program. Nobody wants to criticize or fire a past player that beccomes the coach, so you end up making poor decisions like JMU did with Rowe.

He adds to a list of new CAA coaches that can hopefully get this conference back to respectability quickly.

It’s a great hire for them and I do hope that hires like this throughout the conference can begin to offset the horrid choices made by the Commish.


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This article was posted 2 weeks ago regarding rising athletic fees across D-I. JMU was "implicated" in the lack of transparency:

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/education/h...s-n1145171


As mentioned before on this board....that's just the cost of doing football. $750 student athletic fees for UNCW students. $2,340 for JMU students.

There's a sortable table on the bottom showing how much it costs at each school.

Thanks for the introduction, the JMU board is where i go to read and it makes me feel better about our board.

JMU has already had two enter the transfer portal since the announcement. Dwight Wilson and Darius Banks. Solid players but if Byington can keep Matt Lewis that would be huge for them

(03-23-2020 12:16 PM)Gary Miller Wrote:  JMU has already had two enter the transfer portal since the announcement. Dwight Wilson and Darius Banks. Solid players but if Byington can keep Matt Lewis that would be huge for them

Conversely, and this has nothing to do with Byington or JMU, but we haven't had any players leave for the portal yet to my knowledge? Am I correct there? If so, that's a great sign. Knock on some wood...

(03-23-2020 12:20 PM)CG_Hawk06 Wrote:  

(03-23-2020 12:16 PM)Gary Miller Wrote:  JMU has already had two enter the transfer portal since the announcement. Dwight Wilson and Darius Banks. Solid players but if Byington can keep Matt Lewis that would be huge for them

Conversely, and this has nothing to do with Byington or JMU, but we haven't had any players leave for the portal yet to my knowledge? Am I correct there? If so, that's a great sign. Knock on some wood...

None to my knowledge. Still early in the process though.

(03-23-2020 12:20 PM)CG_Hawk06 Wrote:  

(03-23-2020 12:16 PM)Gary Miller Wrote:  JMU has already had two enter the transfer portal since the announcement. Dwight Wilson and Darius Banks. Solid players but if Byington can keep Matt Lewis that would be huge for them

Conversely, and this has nothing to do with Byington or JMU, but we haven't had any players leave for the portal yet to my knowledge? Am I correct there? If so, that's a great sign. Knock on some wood...

Siddle has some respect and credibilty with everyone at UNCW as a former assistant coach here. Hard for the players to ignore the move from last place to a tie for first place the next year and then two NCAA appearances under Keatts/Siddle. Where else would they go to get a better upside than that? OTH, JMU didn't bring on a coach with any credibility to the current players. No real change in style that might excite them about the future. I actually think they'd have kept everyone if Mike Jones was bringing the press.